When we arrived in Hoboken the students immediately saw the contrasting differences between their homes, Newark and Hoboken because the buildings were more polished and the surrounding area was cleaner. We traveled a few blocks to Carlo's Bake Shop. As we walked in the student’s faces lit up because we had arrived to the bakery, a place that had seemed surreal because they had only seen it on TV and now it was coming to life. We entered and a smell of freshly baked goods hit the air. The students got a variety of goods from strawberry cheesecake to their famous lobster tails. They were also excited to learn about the potential employment opportunities at the bakery. One of the students even asked for a job application.
Afterwards, we took our desserts and ate them in the Hoboken Park. We sat in an area with the view of the city. Some students exclaimed, “Wow! Is that New York City across the river?” and “I can’t believe we are still in New Jersey?” The students were amazed of the many more attractions New Jersey had to offer. We explored the park again and they got to feel like kids again by playing on the swings, as they are from a city that speeds up their adolescence and youth. Then we walked over to eat some lunch at a local falafel place. Towards the end of our trip we walked over to Stevens Institute of Technology. The students got to the check out a beautiful campus and a potential destination after high school.
Overall, most of the students grew up in Newark and they got to see the many possibilities New Jersey has to offer for their future. They saw the many opportunities that are provided to them if they are proactive about fulfilling their goals.